Potato-cutting machine.



F. G. BLAIR.

EOTATO CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

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F. G. BLAIR.

POTATO CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914 FCC. BLAIR.

POTATO QUTTING MACHINE, APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

1,095,620, Patentedlvia a 1914,.

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P. 0. LAIR.v POTATO CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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PCJBLAefi FRED c. BLAIR, or KALISPELL, MONTANA.

POTATO-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed August 27, 1913. Serial No. 786,976.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED C. BLAIR, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Kalispell, in the county of-Flathead and State of Montana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-CuttingMachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to potato cutting machines, and it is designedespecially for dividing seed potatoes, prior to planting the same.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide for primarily dividingthe potatoes substantially in the plane of their longitudinal centers,and then immediately dividing the halves of the potatoes in anypredetermined number of parts; and a further object is to provide amachineof this character in which the potatoes are automaticallycentered with relation to the primary dividing knife.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide amachine of this characterwith means for properly feeding and for properly delivering the potatoesto and from the machine.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character which may bequickly and easily converted from a foot operated machine to a handoperated or power operated machine.

Another object is to j -;ovide'a machine of this character which is ofcomparatively simple construction, easy of operation, comparativelyinexpensive and thoroughly practical and effective.

In the accompanying drawings, which supplement this specification,Figure 1 is an end elevation of one of my improved potato cuttingmachine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectional view taken through the cuttrr head on a plane above theknives: Fig. 4 i. an enlarged detail perspective view illustrating oneoi. the knives in vertical section; l ig. 5 is an enlarged verticalsectional view illustrating the p'usher block in its lowermost position;Fig. tis a view similar to Fig. 5, the pusher block being in a medialposition; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the longitudinal cutting bladeor knilc; Fig. 8 is a side elevation view of a modili d l'orm of themachine; Fig. 9 is a detail view illustrating the position oi the lUllHHrelative to each other;

Fi g.

10 is a top plan View of the modified 7 form of the machine; Fig. 11 isa horizontal sectional view illustrating one means of securing theknives in position; and Fig. 12 is a detail perspective viewillustrating the construction and relation of the knives Fig. 1,comprises a table or bed 20 which is supported by three legs 21 and 22respectively. The legs 21 are connected by means of a brace beam 23,having a pivot member 24 secured thereto and thereby connecting with apair of spaced operating levers .25, said operating levers having theirforward ends connected by means of a pedal 26 which is rigidly securedto the front ends of said operating levers. The leg 22 is substantiallyvertical and constitutes a guide, on the opposite sides of which theoperating levers are adapted to slide.

The bed 20 is apertured as at 2O adjacent to its central portion, forthe reception of the lower rectangular portion of a cutter head 27, andthis cutter head is preferably formed in one piece, which may be cast orotherwise formed 't'rom metal, so as to provide a rigid structure. Thecutter head comprises, as herein disclosed, a substantially rectangularframe 28 which rests upon the table or bed 20, the inner walls of theframe 28 being substantially flush with the walls of the opening oraperture of the bed 20; any proper means being provided for securing thecutter head to said bed plate. However, the means which I preferablyprovide for this purpose consists of a pair of spaced, parallel andvertically extending members 29 which constitute not only the securingmeans for the cutter head, but also form a guide with which is slidablyengaged a cross head 30, the latter carrying a depending plunger orpusher The upper ends of the guide members 29 are connected together bymeans of a horizontal brace beam 32.

Secured to opposite sides of the cross head :30 and pusher 2-31 is apair of angularly bent connecting rods 33, each connecting rod beingsubstantially in the shape of the figure 7, the short depending endportions 1-3-1 of these connecting rods being rigidly but removablyconnected to said cross head and pusher member, while the substantiallyhorizontal elements 35 thereof converge forwardly with relation to eachother and to the length of through opposite apertures in the operatinglevers 25.

Retra'ctile springs 37 connect the operating levers with the bed plate,and these springs lift and normally support the free ends of theoperating levers in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 2, andco-act with the rods 33 for raising and supporting the members 30 and31.

The cutter head 27 is provided with up ward extensions or hearingelements 38, apertured at 39, for the reception of pivot rods or hingeelements 40, which support a pair of downwardly converging guide plates41. The cutter head 27 is provided with downwardly converging pairs ofshoulders 42 against which the guide plates normally rest, being heldthereagainst by means of compression springs 43, the outer ends of whicheach rests against an apertured standard 44, through the aperture ofwhich extends a guide link 45, having its inner end rigidly secured toone of the guide plates, and constituting a keeper and guide for thespring 43. The cutter head 27 is provided with vertical slots orrecesses 46 in its opposite ends, in a vertical plane medially betweenthe guide plates 41, and in this pair of opposing slots is seated thelongitudinal dividing knife or cutter blade 47, disposed with its upperedge slightly above the plane of the lower edges of the guide plates 41.The transverse cutting knives 48 are seated in pairs of opposingvertical slots or recesses 48" in the adjacent longitudinal marginalportionsof the frame 28 and the walls of the opening 20 in the bed ortable 20.

Any proper means may be employed for removably securing the 'knives orcutter blades 47 and 48 in place, so that these knives may be removedand replaced, when necessary, for sharpening. The knife 47 is pro videdwith a series of notches 49 in its lower edge, for receiving the upperedge portions of the knives 48; each of these transverse knives beingprovided with a notch 50 medially of each of its cutting edges 51, and

when the knives are seated in operative position, each of the knives 49engage with one of the notches50, so that the knives mutually supporteach other. The knives 48 may be spaced any suitable distance apart, fordividing the potatoes in pieces of any Llesired size. The knife 47 ispreferably formed with the spaces between the ends :7: thereof and theend notches of greater extent than the spaces between the notches, for apurpose hereinafter explained.

A delivery spout 51 communicates with the aperture through the table 20,for receiving the cut potatoes and delivering them into suitablereceptacles, the delivery spout is preferablyprovided with slots oropenings 52 through which the smaller ends of the potatoes may pass, soas to separate theseends, which are too small for planting, from therest of the cut potatoes.

In order that the potatoes may be quickly, easily and properly fed intothe hopper, formed by the cutter head and guide plates, a feed chute 53is provided, and this feed chute is preferably provided with a slatbottom, or with a bottom having openings therethrough, so that the very'small potatoes may pass therethrough instead of entering the cuttingmachine. This feed chute is preferably removably secured to one of thepivot rods 40, such auxiliary supporting means being provided as may befound desirable.

In operation, the potatoes are poured into 9 the feed chute, which issubstantially level, and from this feed chute the potatoes are passedinto the hopper by hand, the smaller potatoes being placed in the endsof the hopper, the larger ones being placed in the middle portion, andwhen a sufficient number of potatoes have been properly-placed, the footpedal 26 is pressed, and co-acts with the operatinglevers and the rods33 for pressing the pusher block down upon the potatoes and forcing thembetween. the yieldably mounted guide plates 41 on to the longitudinaldividing knife 47, and when the pota toes have been cut by this knife,they imme diately move into contact with the trans- 105 verse dividingknives, except the smaller potatoes, which pass through the relativelywide end spaces Without being cut by the transverse knives, 'but onlybeing cut in halves by the longitudinal dividing knife. 110 The pusherblock is provided with a longitudinal groove 54 which receives thelong'1 tudinal cutting knife while the pusher block presses the halvedpotatoes into cutting eugagement with the transverse knives.

The modified structure illustrated in Fig. 10 is similar in all respectsto the structure described in the foregoing except in the respectshereinafter mentioned; this modified structure being designed to beoperated by 120, hand or by any suitable source of, motive power otherthan foot power, the principal object being to provide a machine forcutting a greater number of potatoes in a given length of time than canbe on! by the foot 115 power machine described in the foregoing. Withthis object in view, the machine must be provided with a relatively longhopper and pusher block, and the other parts must he proportionedaccordingly. ln this modis 130 part a regular and uniform reciprocatorymotion to the pusher head 31, after the machine' has been started. Abelt wheel or pulley 58 is also provided on the shaft 56, and

-a belt 59 is engaged with the wheel 58 and is adapted to, co-act withany suitable source of motive power for transmitting motion to the shaft56 and-its adjuncts. The balance wheel or the pulley may be providedwith an eccentrically mounted handle" wherebythe machine may be operatedby hand, if desired. The operating levers 25' are provided with pivotconnections 36', in addi: tion to the pivot connections 36, so thattherods 33 may be disengaged from the pivot connections36, reversed andtransposed on opposite sides of the members and 31, for a'purpose whichwill presently be disclosed. The levers 25 are connected with the crankshaft 56 by means of connecting rods 60, the

lower ends of these rods being pivoted at 61,

to the respective operating levers. The forward ends of the operatinglevers are pivotally connected to the front leg of the ma chine, asillustrated at 62, the rear pivotal connections 24 being disengaged.

The operation of this modified form is as follows: WVhen the wheel 58and crank shaft 56 are rotated, the gyratorymovement of the connectingrods 60 imparts motion to the rear ends of the levers 25, and theselevers co-act with the rods 33 for imparting.

reciprocatory motion to the presser block 31. A loose pulley 58 isprovided on the shaft 56, and any suitable means (not shown) may beemployed for shifting the belt 59 onto said'loose pulley, so thatthemachine does not operate while the potatoes are being placed in thehopper. It is obvious that other means for throwing, the machine intoand out of operation may be employed, if desired, in lieu of the tightand-loose pulley arrangement. When the machine is thrown into operation,the pusher head descends and presses the potatoes into contact with'thecutting 'knives, as previously described It is obvious that potatoes maybe advantageously cut with this machine without special care in placingthem, and hence, the

potatoes may be fed by gravity or by any desired mechanical means; butwhen properly fed by hand, the potatoes are cut with a reater degree ofprecision.

t it should become desirable to transform this modifiedform of potatocutting machine into a foot operated machine, it is only necessary toremove the pivot elements .65. and transfer them to the pivot connec-"tions 24, then transfer the rods 33 from the pivot connections 36' tothe pivot conneceluding a bed proyided with a tions 36 and disconnectthe operating levers from the pivot connections 61, whereupon, thearrangement and operation will be substantially the same as described inthe prein a thoroughly practical and efficient manner and which may beemployed for dividing other vegetables, fruits, etc., in any desiredsize of pieces, and for any purpose.

While the accompanying drawings illustrate. what I believe to be, thepreferred embodiment of my invention,,it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited thereto, but that various changes may be madein the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appendedclaims. 1

In the modified form illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, the cutter head 28is provided with lateral recesses 28' and lateral apertures 28 eachaperture being directly opposite to the corresponding recess 28, so thatthe cutting knives 48 may be passed through the apertures 28 in and inthe recesses 28f, these knives 18 are each provided with a mediallydisposed notch 48* in each of its opposite cutting edges, for .thereception of the back or bottom edge of the knife 47; The end walls ofthe box of the cutter head 28 are provided with a recess 28 and anaperture 28 respectively while an aperture 28 communicates with 'theaperture 28, extending therethrough at right angles. The knife 47 is andseated thereprovided with an aperture which registers '21 pusher blockadapted to pass between the plates and movable relatively to the cuttingmeans, standards projecting upwardly from the bed at opposite sides ofthe cutter head and having their upper extremities provided withapertures, a laterally directed arm carried by each guide plate andextending through the aperture of the adjacent standard, expansiblemeans surrounding the laterally directed arms and interposed between theelement and the adjacent guide plate whereby the same are maintained intheir normal positions, and means for imparting recurrent movement .tothe pu sher block.

I .2. device of the character described in central OPEL;

ing, a cutter head including a frame supported by the bed andsurrounding the opening thereof, adjacent Walls of the opening in thebed and the frame being provided With registering vertically disposedslots,

cutting blades having their extremities mounted in such slots, means forholding the frame of the cutter head against displacement, and pressuremeans movable rela tively to the cutting blades.

3. A device of the character described including a bed provided with a.central 0pening, a cutter head including a frame supported by the bedand surrounding the 0pening thereof, adjacent walls of the opening inthe bed and the frame being provided with registering verticallydisposed slots, certain of such slots extending entirely therethrough,cutting blades insert-ible through such last three slots, and means forholding such blades against displacement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

FRED o. BLAIR.

Witnesses:

J. E. Roonwoon, F. B. REINKING.

